Cadillac continues work on semi-automated “Super Cruise”

Cadillac is aiming to have its \"Super Cruise\" technology on the road by 2020.

Cadillac's semi-automated "Super Cruise” driving system is moving on to the next phase of testing, including real-world driving assessment and trials. Cadillac is aiming to launch Super Cruise on a regular production vehicle by the end of the decade.

The entire industry is moving toward autonomous vehicles, with Cadillac's Super Cruise system representing a major leap toward that goal. Super Cruise is capable of taking over driving under certain conditions, including highway cruising an navigating bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Cadillac has so far tested Super Cruise on closed courses and in a driving simulator, but will now move on to real-world driving situations.

"As we continually upgrade Super Cruise's enabling technologies, it is important to expose the updated system to different environments,” said Jeremy Salinger, R&D manager for Super Cruise. "The best way to achieve reliable performance is to gather as much data as possible in the conditions our customers will experience.”

The Super Cruise system relies on a combination of radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS map data. However, Cadillac points out that the system won't completely eliminate the human element - Super Cruise can be limited by weather conditions or a lack of lane markings, at which point the driver would have to take over.

Cadillac has yet to commit to a launch date for Super Cruise, but says it should arrive in showrooms by 2020.